Post-Partisanship?

Please! Get Real!

President Obama is, after all, a mere mortal. The new bailout bill is being touted by the media as some kind of litmus test to see if we've really entered the 'post-partisan' era. There's nothing that any one person can or should do to create instant consensus -- even the president. We are a nation of diverse opinions and that diversity will always be with us. 'Post-partisan' does NOT mean the two parties will come together and sing Kum ba yah.

So what, then, does 'post-partisan' really mean? I believe it is about attitude more than outcome. It means that the party in power actually listens to the opposition. It means they look for common ground where they can find it and accept all opinions as valid - agree or not. It means an end to the disgusting divisiveness that exerts power for its own sake with total disregard for alternative points of view.

The neo-con movement in Washington has been pandering for ever-increasing power and wielding it like a sword to destroy even the thought of respectful bipartisanship for decades. Democrats now hold virtually ALL the power. Democrats could easily dismiss the Republican opposition just as Democrats were so long dismissed. Instead, President Obama is reaching out, he is asking for input, he is open to all ideas toward conquering the daunting mess he inherited and achieving his worthy goals. THAT is 'post-partisan' politics. It has already happened and requires no litmus test.

Elections have consequences. The Democrats won. In the end, those in power will generally get what they want. That is a simple fact of life - not partisanship. When the likes of Republican leader Boehner cherry-pick inflammatory details and play the game the old way, by their old rules, they have already lost. The American public is sick of it. It's not about what he's saying as much as the provocative way he's saying it. Republicans better get smart and realize that they are being treated far better than they've treated Democrats and try - try hard - to remember how to be respectful; how to disagree without being disagreeable; how to work together toward something instead of actively working against everything. Every vengeful bone in my body wants to crush all remaining shreds of Republican power into submission -- wants to dismiss them as they so often dismissed us. President Obama is better than that. Republicans would be wise to recognize that fact and act accordingly.

My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.

At the risk of staining my joy in the moment, these words keep echoing through my mind and I needed to get them out. They were spoken by President Gerald Ford upon taking the oath of office in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Nixon's resignation. It is indeed my sincere belief that the Bush 43 administration has been another national nightmare. This is not meant to inflame or be cynical... it is just my very honest personal assessment. I hope to make that my last look backward as we all now look to the future.

President Obama [God it feels wonderful to type that!] rose to this unique moment as only he could. Joy for the day with respect for our better past while clearly repudiating our recent past. Most of all -- hope for and commitment to a future more true to our American ideals. All this and more wrapped up in an inauguration address now passed to history. A perfect beginning to what I honestly believe is the dawn of a new age. I look forward to a renewed sense of what it means to be a truly patriotic American. I look forward to regaining our status as a beacon of light for the entire world.... not for the light itself, but because of the good that light can do for all humanity.

God Bless the United States of America.
God Bless President Barack Hussein Obama.

Personal thoughts - Obama Inauguration

I'm choked up already after watching the inaugural kick-off concert last night. The peaceful transition of power in this country represents the best of our great republic to the world. Every presidential inauguration presents some measure of hope. For me, and I think many others, this one is truly different.

Barack Obama is, for me, THE candidate I've been waiting for my entire political life. The color of his skin is a wonderfully just and history-making bonus but is otherwise irrelevant to me personally. I believe this country has been on a very wrong track for a very long time. Even during the Clinton administration, Newt Gingrich and the neo-con movement of the day completely paralyzed our federal government with partisan divisiveness. Perhaps Clinton could have done more to heal that divide but the end result was still a mostly ineffective stalemate. Democrat or Republican -- I have been largely disappointed by the entire culture of our federal government since before I could vote. A lot of good people have served and I have no doubt they generally wanted what was best for the country. Certainly accomplishments have been made, but the final result will forever be judged as far short.

Barack Obama is the first candidate I've seen who, from the beginning, provided a real promise of real change. There is a difference between disagreement and divisiveness. There is a difference between political positioning and political pandering. There is a difference between standing up for what you believe in and refusing to acknowledge validity in the beliefs of others. There is a difference between running from something feared and running toward a hope for something better. As a nation, we seem to have forgotten - or maybe we're just now learning - how to come together and compromise toward the greater good. I see those differences in Barack Obama and he is the perfect person to lead the America of today toward the America of tomorrow.

I admit to being a part of the great divide. I have been so thoroughly disgusted with the actions and attitudes of the so-called conservative movement that I have found it increasingly difficult to respect it on any level. I believe that George W.'s only lasting positive legacy will be that he hastened the demise of closed-minded wedge politics and prepared the way for Barack Obama to be elected by emphasizing politic's most abhorrent aspects. Without the demagoguery he and his administration forced upon us I don't know that this country would have been ready for a President Obama. I am inspired by Barack Obama to back off. I will follow his lead. I won't always see the result I want, but I'm content to know that slowly moving the bar in the right direction is far better than not moving the bar at all.

Barack Obama speaks of bridging gaps. I am not naive. In fact, I am more accurately labeled a political cynic. Those of us who came of age during the Watergate era earned our cynicism quite honestly. This cynic, however, grew up in the 60's. I was too young to actively participate but old enough to understand the idealism. The assassinations of truly great leaders were burned into my psyche. The Civil Rights movement and Vietnam war were happening real time on the TV in my living room. It was all so senseless on its face and I carry a lot of that with me. The human race had to be capable of better than this. Music has always spoken to my soul. The 'peace and love' that defined much of the 60's most iconic music helped to form the idealism; helped to counter the craziness of the times. Barack Obama has the vision, values and talent to at least nudge the world toward realizing the lyrics of those songs. The world will always be made up of flawed human beings, but we all have the capacity to change and grow. I hold no delusions and am truly void of specific expectations. I am just filled with hope. Hope for a better tomorrow. Hope for our great nation like I've never felt in my lifetime.

You can bet that this particular patriot will be in tears much of inauguration day. I'm unapologetic about it. I'm going to enjoy it.

God Bless America. God Bless Barack Obama.